In our current culture, the new is prized above all else. Last year’s phone is so last year, if you know what I mean. But, some things endure. They’re built to last. Trains are like that, and so is Mayfair’s Empire Builder series. Empire Builder transports you to a time when men of iron forged empires with ribbons of steel. The series is entering its 35th year and with the triumphant return of Iron Dragon, shows no signs of slowing down.

All of the Empire Builder games are economic in nature, and require you to carefully manage your money and track in order to be profitable. But, there’s also the fun of drawing on the laminated maps with a crayon to establish track on the board. Over the course of the game, the board becomes a colorful tangle of tracks that is different every time you play. And, there’s a great variety of different games and lands to explore!

First there’s the one that started it all: Empire Builder. This game presents players with a geographically accurate map of North America and challenges them to build the most profitable routes. You’ll need to pick up commodities where they’re grown, mined, or manufactured and deliver them to where they’re in demand. This will earn you money, allowing you to buy larger, faster trains and expand your rail lines. The first player to connect six or seven major cities and have 250-million dollars is the winner!

For those looking for a lighter game to introduce them to the mechanics of Empire Builder, Mayfair publishes Empire Express. This introductory game features streamlined mechanics, along with a geographically accurate map of the Northeast United States. It’s a perfect family game, and also a great introduction to classic Empire Builder gameplay.

But, the Empire Builder series can take you far beyond North America. For those who yearn to explore the wider world, new challenges await in other classic titles. Travel to Europe and bring the Old World into a new, industrial age with EuroRails. EuroRails challenges players to combine their rail empires with ferries and even “The Chunnel”. Connect the capitals of Europe and earn the most money to win one of the most popular titles in the Empire Builder line.

For players looking for an exotic, especially challenging region, there’s Nippon Rails. The Land of the Rising Sun holds unique challenges, including narrow terrains that can force players to pay to use a rival’s train network and a rugged series of mountains that will strain your resources to build through. Nippon Rails is one of the most challenging maps in the entire Empire Builder line that will delight even the most experienced railroad enthusiasts.

And, even more adventures await those who seek new lands. China Rails presents players with a truly vast area to master, while at the same time contending with events that can spoil their best-laid plans. Australian Rails challenges players to contend with the forbidding terrain of Australia as well as natural disasters. Finally, the exotic lands of India beckons in India Rails! Build track from Bombay to Calcutta, brave the sandstorms of Thar Desert, and deliver all-new goods, including pilgrims seeking spiritual enlightenment across the land!

And if the climes of Earth gets too mundane for you, the Empire Builder series can take you to all-new, interstellar worlds, including Mars! Martian Rails allows players to explore the fabled red planet, delivering exotic goods in a science fiction future that will one day become science fact!

And, finally, for those seeking a unique adventure, Mayfair has refurbished the most requested Empire Builder game of them all: Iron Dragon! Now in its 23rd year, Iron Dragon transports players to the world of Darwinina, a fantasy steampunk realm where Dragons and trains leave trails of smoke as they journey through the land. Iron Dragon has it all: challenging terrain, an event deck that constantly threatens your well-laid plans, and a fantastic art style that evokes a fantastical world. Transport fantasy goods such as wands and scrolls. Recruit henchmen from fantasy races including elves, dwarves, trolls, and cat-men. Navigate difficult terrain, including the underground reaches ruled by the orcs and the dark elves. A little bribery can go a long way here!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this look at Mayfair’s exciting Empire Builder series of train games! If you have any additional questions about Empire Builder or any other games in the line, contact your FLGS!